


She’s Gone, Gone, Gone {Rewrite}

by SummerStormFlower



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Best Friends, Brothers, Car Accidents, Childhood Friends, Crying, Death, Drunk Driving, Emotional Hurt, Gen, Grief/Mourning, High School, Hugs, M/M, Other, Sad, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:08:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29969610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SummerStormFlower/pseuds/SummerStormFlower
Summary: Roxas, Axel and Xion were in a car accident. This is the aftermath.
Relationships: Axel & Roxas & Xion (Kingdom Hearts), Axel/Roxas (Kingdom Hearts), Roxas & Sora & Ventus (Kingdom Hearts), Roxas & Ventus (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 7





	She’s Gone, Gone, Gone {Rewrite}

Roxas was under all his blankets, yet he was still cold. His skin was numb, the cold having seeped through him and into his bones, leaving them brittle and frozen. He was so exhausted, but his brain refused to sleep, despite the way it ached. Every time he tried to close his eyes, he saw headlights and it made his head pound. Not only that, but every time he thought about it, his right leg hurt. Excruciatingly.

He wished he could remember how it got hurt. Or maybe it was better if he didn’t.

Most of it was hazy, except for the hospital part. Sometimes Roxas could still hear that insufferable beeping. In his dreams though, he saw Xion’s body flying past him and heard Axel’s screaming ring through the air. Then he remembered his leg burning. And blood.

It was probably better if he didn’t remember all of it.

Suddenly, there was a soft knock on his door.

“Go away,” Roxas said. He didn’t want to be around people right now. He wasn’t sure if he’d even want to come out of his room ever again.

“Rox, it’s Ven.”

Roxas knew that already. Ventus always knocked before entering someone else’s bedroom. Sora just barged in whenever he felt like it.

Roxas heard the doorknob turning.

“Go away!” he said, louder.

Ventus opened the door and came in anyway. “Hey, squirt.”

Roxas sighed. “I told you to go away.”

“You can’t tell me to go away. I’m your favourite brother.”

The mattress dipped as Ventus sat on Roxas’ bed. He placed a hand on Roxas’ ankle, poking out from under the blankets. It sent a pain shooting up his leg and Roxas pulled away with a flinch. 

Ventus put his hand on his lap instead. “How are you feeling?”

He felt like his best friend in the entire world had just died in a car crash. “Fine,” he lied.

Ventus hesitated. “I heard you got into a fight with Axel.”

Guilt flared up in Roxas’ chest, the nasty things he’d yelled at his boyfriend coming back to him. He’d flung the brunt of his rage at Axel, who most certainly had not deserved it. He’d said some really awful things...

“Look,” Roxas groaned, “I know you’re just trying to help, but I don’t want to talk.” A lump was starting to rise in his throat. He tried to swallow it, rubbing at his eyes when they began to burn.

“We don’t have to talk,” Ventus replied gently.

“Good. Then will you—”

“No. You shouldn’t be alone right now.”

Roxas sighed shakily and tried squeezing his eyes shut to stop the oncoming tears. But he saw the headlights again and his heart constricted, a dry sob forcing its way out of him. He snapped his eyes open and the tears cascaded, sobs ripping through his throat.

Ventus reached out, then rubbed his hand up and down Roxas’ back.

“Xion used to...” Roxas coughed, tasting salt from his own tears. “Xion used to comfort me after I fought with Axel,” he said. He remembered how she’d wrap her arms around his neck and hold him to her shoulder until he was ready to talk. Then she’d pull him down on her mattress and cuddle against his side. And to cheer him up, she’d tell him the dumbest jokes and about the most random parts of her day. Those times always ended in them laughing and hitting each other playfully.

“I know,” Ventus said softly, looking at the picture of her on Roxas’ dresser. His own heart ached. It was weird to believe that she was gone. Xion was a good kid. Now she was gone.

Roxas rubbed his face, wiping away the tears. “She always got us to make up too.”

“I know.”

“And then she’d get mad at us for dragging her into our fights.”

“I remember.” She used to complain to Ventus about that.

Roxas’ heart thrashed inside his chest with a broken fury so painfully, he started crying all over again.

“I hurt Axel. I-I said it was his fault.”

Ventus lifted the blankets and laid down beside him. He held out his arms. Roxas immediately fell into them.

“You didn’t mean it.” Ventus held him tight.

“Then why-why did I say it?”

“People say things they don’t mean when they’re hurting.”

“That doesn’t excuse what I said,” Roxas sniffled. “Axel would’ve never got in-in t-the c-car if-if h-he knew—knew that—Xion—!”

“I know.”

Roxas squeezed Ventus’ shirt in his fist. “I hurt him.”

Ventus rubbed his back again. “What are you gonna do?”

Roxas wiped his eyes, sighing, and slumping against Ventus exhaustedly. “I should apologize.”

Ventus nodded.

“But... he probably won’t want to see me.” Saying that was like puncturing a tiny hole in his heart.

Ventus shrugged. “You’ll never know until you try.”

Roxas thought. He did have a point.

“C’mon” Ventus said, getting up. “I’ll drive you.”

##

It was when they were parked in front of Axel’s house, that Roxas got cold feet.

“I texted Kairi before we left,” Sora said from the backseat, “so she knows you’re here.”

Roxas sighed, dragging his hands down his face. Maybe he should’ve waited until morning to do this. Although, he’s pretty sure the pounding in his skull would’ve still been there.

“Is she mad at me?” he asked.

“Well...”

Ventus glared at Sora in the rear view mirror. Sora ignored him.

“She was at first, but I don’t think she is anymore.”

Roxas played with the door handle. Ventus didn’t say a word, which Roxas appreciated. It was quiet.

Until Sora ruined it.

“What are you waiting for?” he asked.

“Don’t rush him, Sora,” Ventus scolded.

Roxas sighed, dropping his head against his seat. “Guys, I can’t do this,” he said. “What if he doesn’t want to see me? What if he hates me? What if he doesn’t want to be my boyfriend anymore?” His heart squeezed painfully.

“Roxas, you know Axel,” Ventus said, turning to look at him.

Sora leaned forward and placed a hand on Roxas’ shoulder. “Yeah, Axel loves you. And you love him. You guys will get through this.”

“How?” Roxas demanded, blinking his eyes furiously when they began to feel hot.

Sora squeezed his shoulder gently.

“I know this is hard,” Ventus said softly, “But that’s all the more reason you and Axel to band together. Not fall apart.”

Roxas was quiet for a long time. Then he took a deep breath and opened the car door, looking at his brothers one more time.

“Thanks, guys.”

“We’re here for you, bro!” Sora said with a grin and Ventus smiled at him.

Roxas smiled back at them. He may not have always liked his brothers, but he did love them.

He shut the car door.

Ventus and Sora watched him walk slowly up to Axel’s house.

“...You think they’ll have make up sex?”

“Shut up, Sora.”

##

Kairi answered the door. “Hey Roxas,” she said with a small smile.

“Hey,” Roxas said back, perhaps a little awkwardly. He wasn’t sure what Kairi’s opinion of him was at the moment.

Kairi then stepped aside. “Come in.”

Roxas did, trying not to put too much pressure on his bad leg.

“Axel’s in his room. I told him you were coming,” Kairi said.

“Thanks.” Roxas tucked his hands in his jacket pockets, clearing his throat. “Um... look, I didn’t mean to hurt him,” he said quietly.

Kairi smiled at him. “I know.”

Roxas smiled back at her. He hoped Axel would forgive him as easily as his sister.

“Now go. He needs you.”

Roxas nodded. Then looked at the staircase. Then down at his leg. The doctor had said he’d have a limp forever and would likely need a cane in his twenties. He’d been told climbing stairs would get a little easier with time, but not to rush himself unless he wanted to end up needing a cane before he was even eighteen. (He’d stubbornly refused to believe that at first, but was forced to when he nearly fell trying to climb the stairs in his house by himself).

“Oh,” Kairi said, realization dawning on her. “Let me help you.”

“Thank you.”

##

Roxas gulped, swallowing down his fear and mustering up as much bravery as he could. He knocked on Axel’s door.

First there was silence. Then, “Who is it?”

Roxas bit his lip. “It’s me.” He waited.

“...Come on in.”

When Roxas went in, he found Axel sitting at his desk, looking through his window at the moon in the evening sky. His left arm was in a cast. Roxas couldn’t remember it was hurt, but he remembered the blood.

“Hey,” Roxas said shakily.

“Hey,” Axel mumbled without turning to him.

Roxas bit his lip again. “Can I sit?”

Axel nodded.

Roxas sat down on Axel’s bed. He looked at the rocking chair beside Axel’s pile of laundry on the floor. Xion used to sit in it and rock back and fourth for hours. Roxas used to call her an old lady for it. Xion always grinned at him and said she looked damn good for her age if she was an old lady.

Roxas pried his gaze off the rocking chair.

“We need to talk.”

Axel laughed dryly. “What’s there to say?” he asked. “You were right. I killed her.”

Those words slammed into Roxas’ heart. He shook his head. “No, baby. You didn’t kill her. I’m so sorry I said that. I didn’t mean it.”

“But it’s true,” Axel said wobbly, and Roxas realized he was crying. He stood up, rubbing his face with his free hand and paced the floor. “I killed her.”

Roxas stood up too, grabbing his elbow. “No, you didn’t.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Axel—”

“Yes, I did!” Axel shouted, yanking his arm out of Roxas’ grasp. “I was drunk and I knew I shouldn’t drive, but I did anyway!”

Roxas felt his heart shattering with every tear that rolled down Axel’s face.

Axel sniffed, rubbing his sleeve against his nose. “It’s my fault.”

Roxas shook his head gently, trying to meet Axel’s eyes. “It isn’t.”

“It’s all my fault.”

“No, it’s isn’t.”

“She didn’t deserve... it should’ve been me.”

“It’s not your fault!” Roxas shouted, fire suddenly on his tongue, but his voice cracked at the end. “It’s mine!”

Axel stopped and looked at him.

Abruptly, Roxas burst out sobbing, smacking his hands over his face. “It’s my fault! I’m the one who gave you the keys, I’m the one that said it’d be fine! I’m the one that got her killed!”

Axel stared at him. Then slowly, Axel reached out and wrapped his good arm around him, pulling Roxas into his chest.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

Roxas buried his face in his shirt. “Well, it wasn’t yours either,” he sniffled.

Axel was quiet. Then he nodded and laid his chin on Roxas’ head. “Okay,” he said softly.

They stood there, holding each other for a long time.

Then Axel asked, “What now?”

Roxas inhaled shakily and squeezed his arms around Axel tighter. “We mourn. Together this time.”

Axel squeezed him back. “Okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Feedback or thoughts is always appreciated. Hope you liked (and didn't cry too much).


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